Drug-dealer, 80, avoids jail sentence for €60k cannabis

An octogenarian drug-dealer who was caught with around €60,000 worth of cannabis for sale was spared a jail sentence partly because of his age and ill health.

Denis O’Callaghan, aged 80, of Gardeen, Lismire, Newmarket, Co Cork, spent the past week in jail on remand for sentencing yesterday at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

His barrister, Ray Boland, had expressed the concern that even a week behind bars could kill the pensioner.

O’Callaghan was brought back before Judge Donagh McDonagh yesterday who imposed a two-year suspended jail sentence on him. Mr Boland said the week in custody had been a salutary lesson for the accused.

“I have to take his health into consideration. It is not good, which is an understatement,” the judge said.

While the accused faced the possibility of up to life imprisonment, Judge McDonagh said the exceptional circumstances entitled him to apply his discretion and imposed less than two years.

“I do believe it is highly unlikely he will be back before the courts for this or any other offences. I think the appropriate sentence taking into consideration his age, health, and early plea of guilty is two years in prison, which I will suspend.”

O’Callaghan had pleaded guilty to having cannabis for sale or supply at his home on September 27, 2013.